Proud Cousin

 

I'm proud of Ashley and the other members of the Class of 2020 who are able to celebrate with their friends and family as they receive the hoopla even though they'll never know what it was like to live those moments.

To hear them give commencement speeches complaining about planning Prom, when they didn't get a Prom.

To hear them talk about the end of senior year traditions that were denied to them, and not complain.

To watch them bounce between their friends' homes celebrating, when their celebrations were via Zoom, or promised to be at a later date.

To sit in the stadium and watch them walk across the stage and bounce the beach ball with their friends when their graduation took place on a screen.

Proud of all of you, but especially my girl.

Looking forward to celebrating her college graduation in 2024.

Digging Around The Hessians

Last summer Dan, a former co-worker of Don's, shared news that a dig he was part of discovered 15 Hessian soldiers at the tail end of a public dig. I asked him to keep me in mind the next time there was an opportunity to dig. After being bitten by the archaeology bug in college, I've been on a few local digs, as well as one in Israel. While I welcome the opportunity to get my hands dirty for a few hours, I enjoy coming home to a hot shower afterwards. 

Dan messaged me recently to let me know Gloucester County was having sign ups for a public dig. He provided the website to register, warning me it would fill up quickly. 

I was on top of it and registered moments after the site opened. I was looking forward to going on June 10th, the third of four open slots. When June 10th rolled around, the weather was perfect. I drove an hour to National Park, NJ (a town I had never heard of before) located on the Delaware River. Armed with my trusty trowel, wearing the clothes I bought to go to Israel, I was so excited. 

Long story short, I had a blast! 

At first I was disappointed because they had strong arms signed up to do the digging. I think their typical attendee is someone who wants to see archaeologists in action, not necessarily do archaeology. I didn't let that deter me, I spent most of my three-hour slot hunched over the screen identifying objects. We found a treasure trove of broken, thick, green drinking bottles. Some bits of brick, and charcoal. A week later I don't remember anything super exciting.

As I was leaving I turned to the coordinator and said with my best Eeyore face, "I bet next week is already filled." After all, we were only allowed to sign up for one of eight 3-hour shifts. She said she could fit me in.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I got there closer to the start time of 9 rather than arriving for the 1 pm afternoon shift. I looked at the four pits before asking my real question, was there a chance I could use a metal detector. The week before I had noticed a group of people with metal detectors and the field of flags indicating all the items they found and I was intrigued. Not intrigued enough to leave my screen of treasures, but there was a part of me that was disappointed I missed my first (and possibly only) opportunity to learn about metal detecting. I thought about it all week.

Each flag represents an
artifact found. At the end of
the day, the experts
logged them into a book.

Jen cheerfully pointed me to the area where the metal detecting was taking place that week (of course they weren't in the same field as the weekend before, in hindsight, that made a lot of sense). She told me to ask for the tall skinny man named Dana. Dana was giving a quick orientation to a couple of men. He paired me up with an older gentleman named Tim. Tim took up metal detecting 18 years ago as a post-retirement hobby.

Tim was so generous with his knowledge. He mentored me in the kindest way. Each find was labeled with my initials. He kept referring to his shovel as my shovel. He explained how he could tell if something was worth digging for based on the number. He smiled as I got excited each time we dug for a treasure.

With Tim

Tim took this picture of me
hard at work

Our finds:

• 1965 quarter -- the first year they were no longer silver
• Button marked RP with a crown -- reenactor's button from 1940s-1950s
• Second button matching the first
• Third smaller button
• Later 1964 quarter
• 1914 wheat penny
• Thin metal circle 
• Aluminum foil
• Lots and lots of pull tabs from old soda cans
• Newer coins: dimes, nickels, pennies
• Bottle opener -- thought I had something there since it was so big!

I learned new pennies disintegrate in the ground, but old (copper) pennies last forever

A rivet?

Tim and Jack

Alas, a reenactor's button
Dan said, likely from the
Bicentennial era
(he currently reenact with them)

A 1964 quarter -- worth about $9.05!

The Holy Grail -- a musketball

The Civil War era button we did not find

Other people's finds:

• Indianhead coin from 1897, and another from 1894
• An impacted musket ball
• A round musket ball
• A Civil War era button
• A button labeled 43 -- at first thought to be an original, but later identified as a reenactor button

In the sifters:

• An original button
• Another musket ball

After lunch Tim and I were not having as much luck, to the extent that someone found a Civil War era button in the same pit we had just scanned with the metal detector. I think we were both a little bummed on that one. We decided to call it a day by 2:15 recognizing we were both going to be sore the next day. Tim was grateful to have me dig. I was grateful to learn from him. It is always nice when everyone leaves happy.

As I was leaving, I saw the glass we dug up last week, now all shiny and clean. I beamed over it like a proud parent.

I had so much fun. I can't wait for next year. 

The Great Smoke

Global Warming is real everyone.

We are all connected on this planet.

These are the lessons I hope everyone in the Northeastern United States learned this week. Sadly, we have short memories, living in the moment.

On Wednesday, wildfires in the province of Quebec blew smoke hundreds of miles away and blanketed the New York and Philadelphia region. The pictures are apocalyptic. Photo cred to Diana Puertes who shared these on Facebook.

Jaw dropping.

Today is Sunday. I've been thinking about this post since our area was became sepia toned on Wednesday. It feels historic -- or at least feels as if I hope it is historic versus this is just the beginning of what we should be expecting on a more frequent basis, after all as a friend from California pointed out, "now you know what we go through" during fire season each year. The big difference is, we were not in danger of losing our home due to the forest fires because they were taking place in another country.

However, about 30 minutes away forest fires were ablaze in Jackson, NJ. Earlier in the week, there was a forest fire in the Pine Barrons, and yesterday I heard of a third one in Browns Mills, NJ.

Something I had not appreciated before this week was that low humidity contributes to forest fires because the air is so dry. In this area, we tend to have the opposite problem -- days with humidity you swear is over 100%, even though that is impossible. I even call those low humidity sunny days as we are having perfect Southern California weather, not realizing the same weather that is enjoyable for spending outdoors is also the same weather that contributes to forest fires. 

On Tuesday afternoon I sat on Daphne's screened in porch noting a hint of burning in the air. I even commented we could smell a bit of the Canadian forest fire. I drove home with the top down on my convertible and put on my running clothes while I waited for Don to come home. In the hour it took him to come home it was obvious it was too smoky to go out for a run. After dinner, I was comfortable enough to go for a walk in the park. I could smell the honeysuckle bushes. I truly thought we were past the worst of it.

Then Wednesday came. Don rode his bike to work in Newtown, PA. By the time I left for work, I could smell the smoke again. As the day continued, it was getting very difficult to breathe -- even in the small stretches from one building to another on campus. By 3:00, it was difficult to breathe inside (I know someone had their windows open when it "wasn't so bad outside"). I left at 4:15.

Meanwhile, I was trying to convince Don to let me pick him up. At that point, it wasn't that bad in Bucks County, PA, though the images coming out of New York City were horrific! The Yankees and Phillies both cancelled their games due to unhealthy air. I learned that we should pay attention to the AQI -- Air Quality Index. The green zone is ideal, orange is moderate, as the color gets darker, the conditions are even more dangerous. 

Delaware River at 6:45 pm. Sunset is 8:20 pm.

Here is where I should have taken more notes, and more screenshots. I know the AQI was at 490 in Allentown, PA where Ashley goes to college (though she is home for the summer). That's on a scale where 500 is the worst. We were in a maroon zone, but I don't remember exactly how high it got. I remember mid 400s, though it is certainly not a competition. Throughout Wednesday and Thursday I compared our numbers with places also tagged on my Weather App. Columbus, OH. Florence, Italy. Anaheim, CA. I looked at the map and saw Quebec was in the green (good) zone while we were getting darker and darker.

Fortunately, a co-worker of Don's gave him (but not his bike) a ride home. He drove me to book club in Bucks County, PA (which was still not as bad as by us, seems the valley around the Delaware River acted as a buffer), and retrieved his car.

The next day we were cautious, but as the weather continued to improve we realized we were past the worst of it. At least for this time.

The whole experience reminded me of a scene out of "The Crown," the Netflix show depicting the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In season 1, episode 4 they had an episode about the Great Smog when London was blanketed by a smog that lasted for FIVE DAYS from December 5-9, 1952. People died. No one could see. It was unimaginable, at least until we were living in a giant cloud of smoke for a day. A decade later clean air acts were enacted to ensure healthier air in the future.

One story I read from NBC News chastised our part of the country for not having safety measures in place akin to the ones on the West Coast. See, they have known about the AQI a lot longer than I have and plan their activities around it.

As the smoke was too thick to think, advice given was to dust off our N95 masks and wear them outdoors. Forest fire smoke is thicker than COVID molecules, so actually any mask will help, but the N95 is the best. Advice I didn't heed, but should have. Advice I hope I don't need to know again.

The skies cleared and outdoor activities returned. May we learn our lessons. May we continue to pray for firefighters and those impacted by the fires. 

Friday night

Saturday Night

Charlie Schulz Color Run

Group shot before the race

In a kick-off to Pride Month, the Bridgewater Raritan High School's Robotics Team hosted a Color Run in memory of Charlie Schultz. Charlie was a member of the team before any of the members were in high school. Before the current teacher advisor was leading the team. In other words, none of them even met alumnus Charlie Schulz, yet they all felt compelled to create a Color Run in his memory, with proceeds going to a scholarship in his memory for LGBTQIA+ Youth in Stem Education through the newly-formed Charlie Schulz Foundation.

The day was uplifting. Charlie's parents, Elizabeth and Wynn, were beaming thinking about all of the people who came out to share in this event -- friends of Charlie's traveled from South Carolina, Philadelphia, and California (and more). Students who didn't even know Charlie gleefully tossed colored chalk on participants (after politely asking if it was okay). Others ran laps around us, or walked, or a bit of both around the 3/4 of a mile loop around the school property.

T-shirts were sold. Buttons with Charlie's face saying "#IAmValid were handed out. The back of the t-shirt says it all. His mom said the pineapple pizza was more of a running joke than anything serious -- she often bought pineapple pizza for family dinners.

The only thing missing from the day was Charlie. Their son took his life about four years ago. In 2019, Don and I ran a similar charity race, this one was for suicide prevention and was held at our alma mater, the school where Charlie was a student. I thanked one of the volunteers for doing this and mentioned Charlie. The student didn't know who I was talking about, even though Charlie had died on the campus the year earlier. That year there had been three suicides on campus. These students at the high school had never met Charlie, but knew of him and wanted to honor his legacy. We went to honor it, too.

I'm sorry we never met Charlie. We met Charlie before he transitioned, when he was still Shannon. Shannon played the unicorn in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" when Ashley was Lucy Pevensie. Ashley was in Middle School, Shannon was a couple of years older. Wynn played Father Christmas. Through the magic of Facebook I got to know Wynn and Elizabeth. I was shocked to learn about Charlie's suicide. 

The suicide rate among transgendered persons is 32-50%. That number increases when you don't have people who support you. Charlie had parents who supported him. He seemed to have a support team, and yet, it wasn't enough. I couldn't help but think of Ashley and her friends and the journeys they are taking. The times they wonder if life would be better for everyone else if they killed themselves. One life taken too soon is one life too many.

As for the rest of the event, kudos to Team 303 for organizing this event. The turn out was great -- from people who knew Charlie from school, church, and community theater, to the students who never met him and still felt compelled to share in his memory. Thank you!

Before the race

Charlie's parents

Let's go!

At the end

After the race we went to Colonial Park in Somerset, NJ to visit the bench dedicated to Charlie. When we walked up to the bench, a family was hanging around it. We walked away, and tried to keep an eye out so we could see it without looking creepy. After we walked away, someone else came to sit on it. It is a very popular bench.

A quick visit to Charlie's bench near Colonial Park

Someone at the race suggested we pause at the Rudolf W. van der Groot Rose Garden as the roses were in bloom. That was a pleasant detour. We should all take more time to stop and sniff the roses.

There was a bench dedicated to John E. Pillsbury in the rose garden -- not a relative we knew about. You know me, I accept everyone with the slightest connection as family. Having the same last name, I would have invited him to family picnics. It was a bit jarring looking down and seeing our last name on a memorial bench.

The chalk washed right out of our clothes. Don clapped his sneakers together, and the chalk flaked off. I'm keeping the chalk on my old sneakers as a reminder of Charlie. I wore them a week later on an archaeological dig site and smiled at the chalk. His parents are showing me it is important to remember him, and to do so with some joy.

Let's Go Thunder!

Baseball is back in Trenton -- FINALLY! Trenton Thunder has had quite a stormy road (pun intended) since the start of the pandemic when the New York Yankees decided to move their farm team from Trenton to Somerset, NJ.

The 2020 season was scrapped due to the pandemic.

The 2021 season brought two different teams, both calling themselves Trenton Thunder. After the Yankees left, Major League Baseball (MLB) created a Draft League of players who didn't get drafted by a major league team, but still wanted a shot at playing professional ball. They created a few teams, with Trenton being the center of the new league. Meanwhile, and much more exciting, the AAA team for the Toronto Blue Jays found themselves homeless both due to construction and the COVID travel restrictions between the United States and Canada meant baseball teams could not travel to and from Toronto. I've heard a couple of different explanations, and I tried blogging about it at the time, but I think their Spring Break stadium in Florida was under construction so the Blue Jays moved to Buffalo, and the Buffalo team moved to Trenton. 

It was amazing baseball!

Once the travel restriction was lifted, the Blue Jays returned to Toronto, and the Bisons (who went by the Bisons on the road) shuffled back to Buffalo.   

In 2022 we had the Draft League again. The rumor mill was strong that in 2023 surely we would have a Major League affiliated team again. Right?

On June 1, 2023 the 30th season started. We are once again with the Draft League. Management is tight lipped about the future of getting another AA team.

As per tradition, Don and I went to Opening Day. It was a great day to be a Thunder fan. The stadium was packed. Thunder won seemingly effortlessly 7 to 1 against the Frederick (MD) Keys. Seeing just how many people were still in the stands anticipating fireworks, we left in the middle of the 8th inning and listened to the rest of the game on 920 AM. We pulled into the driveway just as the last out was taking place.

It was great being back in the ballpark. We sat behind the Thunder dugout -- my favorite place to watch a game. Carmine, an usher who is a Muhlenberg alum '73, remembered us. Felt great to be back in the familiar place. As a thank you for purchasing a 10-pack of tickets, Thunder tacked on a free Opening Day ticket. I couldn't locate the official ticket (though I could find the email confirmation), but as luck would have it, the ticket taker stepped away and we slid into our empty seats in Section 106.

Thunder went cashless this year. I wondered how that would impact parking. When we saw the long line of cars trying to get into the main parking lot, I figured scanning credit cards was the issue. Nope. Cashless only starts once you enter the stadium. Outside you can only pay the $5 parking fee with cash. 

The parking area was insane! Didn't help a large section was closed off to set off the fireworks. Come to think of it, parking a rag top car next to where fireworks are set off is not a smart move. How would I explain it to the insurance company if my roof caught on fire? Good thing we left early!

After the Thunder pitcher took the mound grounds crew were invited over

because the pitcher did not like something on it. As Don and I said a number of times that game "if only they had an off-season to work out these problems." We didn't notice anything being resolved.

Another downside was that the announcer could not be heard in the stadium. They did not have the radio on in the bathroom. We couldn't hear the field announcer when he was on top of the dugout only a few rows ahead of us. 

I kept score best I could and watched the game.

In the car ride home I heard about the catcher for the other team -- Dennis Kasumba from Uganda. Sounds like he has the potential to become the first Major League player from Uganda. I decided to return the next next.

Friday night's game was so strange, Trenton Thunder offered a make up date for the tickets. The season only has forty home games. With being able to reuse two tickets, I still have nine tickets for the season.

The game started out less crowded than the night before (or at least felt that way because Ashley and I got to the game 30 minutes early and beat the traffic, plus without fireworks, there were more parking spaces in the back lot).

Before the end of the first inning Don texted to say it was raining in Lawrenceville.

Jed and Susan at the game

When I looked out over third plate, we had a clear sky. When I looked over home plate I could see a storm on the way.

In the middle of the second inning we felt our first drops and saw thunder. Ashley and I decided to wait the storm out in my car. As we walked on the concourse, Ashley walked ahead of me and I paused to take a picture of the sign that said "Rain Delay." At that point, they were estimating a 30 minute delay.

All of a sudden I heard the loudest crackle I have ever heard. I may have even ducked. I immediately thought lightning hit a tree next to me, but did not see any damage. After checking on me, Ashley sprinted to the car. I asked her if she wanted to stay in the car or leave, but she was ready to go home.

I tried to listen to the game on the radio, but ESPN 920 AM had already switched to the national station, which was babbling about basketball. Once home I kept checking the website and social media to see when the game restarted. The weather had cleared in Lawrenceville. About 90 minutes later I saw they were in the third inning, I asked Ashley if she wanted to return (she didn't), so I drove back to the game. Thunder was in the 5th inning, and they had already decided to make it a 7 inning game due to the long rain delay. They also announced they would honor the tickets at a future game.

Chatting with a season ticket holder on the way out he said he saw a bolt of lightning go SIDEWAYS! Based on the timing, that was the bolt we heard more than saw. Ashley saw it hit the light between us. The comment the fan made was it "sounded like a row of firecrackers going off at the exact same time." Yup, pretty accurate. He also saw a bolt of lightning hit the field.

Back at the game the scoreboard was out. The upper half worked, but not the part keeping score. It made me miss the days of long ago when they were still affiliated with the Boston Red Sox and had their own version of the Green Monster, complete with a manual scoreboard. No one I spoke with could remember if that came out when they switched to the Yankees about 21 years ago, of if the Yankees kept it a few years. In either case, they no longer have it, and even if they did, they likely would not have had someone sitting outside changing the score.

The good news was the in stadium announcer could be heard. The bad news was

Crowds thinned out

ESPN did not switch back to the Thunder game. Instead, they kept talking about the Lakers new coach. The Ugandan catcher did not play. I hope to catch him later in the season.

It is still great sitting outside on a warm evening watching baseball. Carmine said he does not miss those cold April nights ushering to a nearly empty stadium. Seems to be there is a compromise between starting in early April and starting in early June, but as the league is now mostly made up of college students, must work around their schedules.

Keeping track
of the score via
the website

There are some amazing plays, and there are some shaking your head plays. In one inning, I saw two different players steal first on wild pitches. Yes, they stole first base. We also saw a terrific double play, and another one we thought was a double play, but the umpire didn't call it the way we saw it from a few feet away. Seems the umpires are also getting used to playing ball. 

After the game, the teams headed to Frederick, MD to play each other a few more times in a row. There are only a handful of teams in the league, so we'll be seeing each other again and again. 

I look forward to many more Thunder baseball in 2023. 

Princeton Reunion

There is nothing like a Princeton Reunion. 

A few years ago I took Ashley to see the P-rade, mostly because there is nothing quite like it in the world. Sure, other places have reunions. The larger the school, the larger the reunion. I'm sure they wear school colors and sing the alma mater.

But does each class have at least two matching jackets? Do they have an alumni parade that lasts for hours and hours and hours because every alumnus and their families participate? They call it the P-rade. The first jackets are given to seniors just before graduation and are called "beer jackets." The tradition dates back over a century. The second one you purchase for your 25th reunion. There are also matching pants, skirts, children's attire, etc. Each class's jacket is unique. Most are in the trademark school color scheme or black, orange, and white or cream. I say most because I recently read an article where the class of 1951 opted to have their jackets in red, white, and blue in honor of the nation's bicentennial taking place during their 25th reunion. 

I'm surprised I didn't blog about us seeing the P-rade. So far we've only gone once. We do enjoy visiting Princeton during reunion weekend to see just how many different combinations of black, orange, and white jackets exist.

This year Don and I went to see the fireworks. The plan was to watch them from the bridge at Harrison Street. They really are quite spectacular. They also serve as the town's annual fireworks display. 

We went in early to hear Darla and Rich play next to Halo Pub in town. As their set was planned to end at 9:00, and fireworks were being set off on the other side of town at 9:15, we left them early to get a good spot.

As we were walking towards the bridge, we noticed the stadium was open. Last year our exchange son saw the fireworks with friend's parents (who are Princeton alumni) and said it was nice. I assumed incorrectly it was a ticketed event, only open to alumni and their guests. I didn't see anyone collecting tickets so we went inside an found a seat.

Pre-fireworks entertainment included a performance by the Princeton Symphony. It seemed alumni also performed. It was a great way to pass the time.

I felt as if I was in the middle of a cult, though, when the orchestra played the alma mater, "Old Nassau," and everyone stood up, and with their right hand did some sort of salute to the music. This was repeated during the fireworks when that song was played. Ashley was sitting outside with Anna and was also a little creeped out by the hand motions and obvious crowd reverence.

In the stadium we were behind a group of alumni ranging from their 23rd to 25th reunion, at least based on their jackets. The alumna from the class of 1998 was excited about her new jacket (a sedate cream jacket with orange and black pinstripes), but was disappointed it came two sizes two small. The woman next to me, who came from Phoenixville, PA was with her husband celebrating his 61st reunion commiserated. When his 25th reunion attire was unveiled the wives (Princeton was all-male in his day) bought matching skirts that were way too tight and short to be worn in public. Not long afterwards they got new reunion attire, which he is still wearing to reunions 36 years later. Next year the class of 62 will be celebrating their 62nd reunion. I'm sure they will come back.

I love fireworks and am not easily impressed by them, but these fireworks were amazing! They were perfectly in sync with the music. The couple in front of us (with the wife celebrating her 25th reunion) said the music corresponded to the different reunion themes the class of 1998 have had over the years. They played "Eye of the Tiger" and other songs important to that class. 

I've seen hearts and smiley faces in other displays. This was the first time I ever saw dollar signs. They were a pleasant addition. Unfortunately, I don't remember what song they corresponded with.

The perfect spring weather added to the enjoyment. People are happy to be able to get out and celebrate together again.

I read over 25,000 people came to the reunion. As the stadium holds 27,773 people and it was pretty full, plus there were a lot of people watching the fireworks outside the stadium, once you factor in the townies, the number is much higher.

It was fun. Don and I vow to return to watch in the stadium next year -- maybe from the other side so we don't have to crane our necks as much. Then again, with the way the wind was blowing this year, we were better off on our side of the stadium.